Smithfield Foods Addresses COVID-19 Misinformation

There it is again. That sun keeps coming up in the east. It's shining through the window again this morning as I work from home, again. It comes up in the east and it sets in the west. Chances are it will do it again tomorrow. And the next day. This story isn't meant to stir, but maybe offer a different angle or slant than we've been looking at it.

I heard from my brother Carl this weekend. He was in Parkston, South Dakota. He and several locals from the Presho area were on hand to watch/help with the local slaughter and butchering of some hogs. These not so little piggies had no market to go to so they were processed locally as not to go to waste. So when I saw this story about Smithfield Foods addressing misinformation I thought it would be worth a read. It was. Parts of it are eye-opening. According to National Hog Farmer;

We're proud of the multi-culturalism on display every day throughout many of our facilities, including in Sioux Falls. Our employees are our strength. They come from all over the world and speak dozens of languages and dialects. Our position is this: We cannot fight this virus by finger-pointing. We all have a responsibility to slow the spread. At Smithfield, we are a family and we will navigate these truly challenging and unprecedented times together. Our employees are the beating heart of our facilities and we are grateful to them.

That simple paragraph says a lot. If you live in Sioux Falls you have friends and neighbors who work at Smithfield. I suggest you read the rest of the story as they clear up many other misconceptions about their facility here in Sioux Falls and also add a little clarity to the real situation. Farmers are having to destroy animals because there are no other processing alternatives. The paragraph demonstrates they do care about their employees and the press release from Smithfield offers clarity on several misconceptions.

I know many people who read our stories live on farms. Heck, you might even know the wind direction to a local hog farm if you live out in the country. You know there are trucks that need to be driven, crops that are going to be planted again to feed hogs and local workers that need the jobs on these hog farms and It is my hope that facilities like Smithfield are able to open again, soon.